I had an idea for a campaign a long time ago but never had anyone to play it with. I recently dug it up during one of those nostalgic moments where you go and look at all your old stuff. But I digress, so let me get to the point.
This is just an interest check to see if enough people are interested. And since School is coming to an end I thought I would start working on this campaign and fixing it up. Assuming it gets a good response
Troublemakers are any people the Sovereign and her Advisors do not like. Could be anything from a puppet politician outlasting his usefulness, to a beggar on the street at the wrong time, to a member/leader of an underground cult, to a member/leader of a church with views not aligned with the Sovereign, even ex-advisors gone “rogue.” The Sovereign isn’t all bad though and will allow certain people to go in with equipment to “help” them out down there.
The Prison is a magic portal to an extremely large underground network of caverns that was discovered almost a century ago. To date no one is believed to have escaped, as far as anyone can tell there is no entrance or exit to the underground. Even magic has a difficult time penetrating the surface as recorded by the first explorers (which never made it out) and the people they communicated with on the surface. There are magical deadzones as well as twisters which can cause various effects on magic (amplifying, backfiring, twisting).
Down in the prison there are many small settlements in the area that prisoners have established. They have their own economic system and alliances/enemies and hierarchies. They also have semi-permanent light sources through bio-luminescent mushrooms that grow down there.
The most notable part of the Underground though is the Floods.
The Floods occur every few years and with them come all sorts of aberrations and other predators of the dark. During this time many of the settlements will bond together for more power to drive off the beasts and then go back to rebuilding their homes until the next flood.
This is the very basic idea of what I am willing to say so far. I want to gauge interest before I flesh everything out. Which means I’m not looking for any crunch because I have no idea what I want to do… Well I kind of do, but I may change my mind. If you REALLY want to do that just go the basic route of 20pt buy, 2 traits, 100 gold, Any race, Any class (Hint Hint: Resources could be scarce down below). However, if you want to start doing fluff that would be AWESOME because it would help inspire me in creating this world and filling it with other awesome people like you.
Ask any questions you want, except crunch related stuff, about how the world works. Feel free to create NPCs and everything, in fact I encourage you to. If enough people respond with interest I’ll have an official recruitment thread up next week (hopefully Thursday at the latest), with all the crunch stuff and a much much more in depth description of the world and how it works.
I think this is an awesome idea.
Sounds interesting.
I think more details would be useful
Sounds awesome. There is a lot of potential here. Given the lack of resources, I'll have to go through the classes to see what's most viable. I'll probably give a Cleric a try for once and see how to make them self-sufficient.
Resource shortage? Conspiracy? Political lies? Caverns? Sounds fun. I'll keep tabs on the thread. I'm thinking of a member of a society of conspirators with really weird ideas about the government who intentionally got himself sent to the prison in order to 'reveal the truth'.
|
Hmmm, this seems somehow familiar...interesting idea, can't put my finger on where I've seen it before...
I do, however, have one character concept that jumps to mind. Here's a rough transcript of the thought process.
Totalitarian authority begs to be challenged. I'll be happy to oblige. 'It can't be done,' they say. 'No one escapes,' they say. 'The sovereign's rule is absolute,' they say. Well. I know what to do about that.
Why in the world would someone WANT to be sent to an inescapable prison? To make history by being the first to escape, of course. Besides, when people learn the prison can be escaped, what do you think will happen to Mr. Sovereign up there? Gonna be a whole lot of fingers pointed his way, and a big bunch of disgruntled citizens who've been waiting for the chink in his armor. Won't THAT be a fun time to live in..."
Hmmm, this seems somehow familiar...interesting idea, can't put my finger on where I've seen it before...
Well I did draw heavy inspiration from a certain awesome source...
This sounds very interesting. Any race and class? Hmmm. So, what level did you have in mind? I am imagining we might high enough (higher than 1st) to commit some deeds before we got locked away.
Interested.
I assume Pathfinder rules/gods.
Otherwise, how are half-elves viewed? Was thinking of an half-elf courtier. Delivered a message to a ranking official in the Sovereign. The person didn't like the message, and banished the courtier to the prison to suffer for the ill news.
Possibly could have been news about a church member with adverse views for anyone who may want to go the divine route.
Will keep tabs on this as well, looking forward to it :)
I've had an idea for an inquisitor of Desna that acts as a travelling freedom fighter: opposing tyranny, etc. Sounds like a candidate for prison if ever there was one.
I assume that we will be able to pick up makeshift weapons or otherwise get hold of something. Will there be opportunities to sneak hidden weapons in? or could a sympathetic guard slip him a weapon to give him a chance?
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
I like this idea; very reminiscent of an old PC game I won't name because that would ruin the fun for everyone else.
It's not a fully fleshed-out idea, but I think I have a druid idea in mind, and I'll explain the core concept of how I think she'd fit into this. Her parents were taken as political prisoners, possibly over their attempt to raise issue with something the Sovereign was planning that would threaten the wildlife around their village, like hunting or clearcutting the area for construction projects. They'd have been arrested and taken in while she wasn't home, so she would have come home to find the place wrecked and her parents missing. Ran into the forest because she had nowhere else to go, some vaguely-defined druidic awakening occurs there.
As a druid she'd have continued her parents' work and with much more efficiency due to her divine abilities. After she finally feels she's done enough good to focus on something more personal, she turns herself in as the one who has hounded his people in the forest for the past few years, so that she too can be thrown into the The Prison. Her intention is to find her parents, and should they still be alive, use her newfound powers to try and safely get them out.
So yeah, let me know if that fits into what you had in mind, I guess.
I'm very interested. I was going to ask the same as Unruly above me; is it possible to play a character already from the prison? If so I'd probably go the Dwarven cavern-ranger approach. Perhaps a loner who abstains from underground politicking to march the paths of the caves.
As for the reason of his imprisonment, well, that I'm not sure of. It seems the prison hasn't been around long enough for most dwarves to establish family with grown children there, so I must assume he was taken by the Sovereign for one reason or another. Unless his parents were some of the first prisoners... hmm. Things to think on.
Another question - are there other prisons? Not underground ones, but regular prisons. I can't imagine every single criminal gets tossed in here.
And does the Sovereign know of the presence of this underground society? Is it common knowledge that the worst criminals get sent here?
I'd have thought most prisoners would go there - why spend noney on guards when you can throw them in the caves? The exception would be prisoners who you want returned to society and those who have friends or family with enough money or power to make it worthwhile returning to society.
The thought just occurred to me that we are most likely to be sent into the caves together (those that are not born there), which means that we are probably being tried together; which suggests that we are part of the same conspiracy. Is there anyone else who would be likely to be part of a conspiracy that I could join or who could join me? I see my character as a catalyst for change, so it would make sense that he instigates a rebellion perhaps around a group of conspirators who are seeking change (or joins a rebellion in progress). (Those seeking to deliiberately get thrown into the prison can rebel alone). It would solve some of the party dynamics if some of us know each other.
In Pathfinder terms, I would be making a wanderer who moves with the caravans along the trade routes, stopping off in towns or cities and instigating rebellion if the regime is oppressive. Perhaps he moved into this kingdom from outside and didn't like what he saw, decided it needs to be changed and tried to start a rebellion. Along with him, a number of co-conspirators would be caught; I cannot believe that none of them would be sentenced so it makes sense that some of them are fellow pcs. Don't know if that is helpful.
BTW I did think of suggesting a ranger, one whose favoured enemy s aberrations and who is at home in caverns, but Proioxis has suggested it.
I tried to answer everything you guys asked, if I missed something or you want it clarified ask away!
So, what level did you have in mind?
I haven’t decided on that. Leaning toward level 1, but I may go higher, especially if others express interest in it.
Any race and class?
Indeed, though no High Power races (unless I start off higher than level one), and the less common races/civilized races will have to be explained as too why they are even involved in society. As for class, again I emphasize the lack of resources and magical deadzones/twisters.
I assume Pathfinder rules/gods.
Correct. Though I may cut out a few gods, but for the time being all are fair game. Note: If I do cut out gods it won’t affect domains in anyway and their “beliefs” will be split among the other gods.
How are half-elves viewed?
Half-Elves, in general, are viewed as normal in society, as well as most other races. There are also people who dislike them as well, seeing them as half-breeds and incompetent. Down below each settlement is a little bit different. Some places may see them as necessary allies, others with contempt.
Will there be opportunities to sneak hidden weapons in? or could a sympathetic guard slip him a weapon to give him a chance?
The Sovereign, to keep face, allows everyone sentenced to the prison a certain amount of gear to help them get started and defend themselves. You aren’t likely to get any extra gear from a guard, if they were caught they would also get thrown down there. (You could always write out a back story where you are best friends with a guard transporting you. If it is good enough I will definitely consider it.)
I assume that we will be able to pick up makeshift weapons or otherwise get hold of something.
I have several ideas I need to mechanize for makeshift and new* weapons.
*both flavorwise and mechanicwise.So yeah, let me know if that fits into what you had in mind, I guess.
That absolutely could fit in. I can add it to my list of active organizations.
Are we to assume that we'll start out as "free" citizens who then get locked up, or is it possible to be a prison-born character?
Original intentions where everyone was a “free” citizen, but we could work something out where you were born in the cave. There is definitely a long enough timeline for that to happen.
…but could also be a bit overspecialized if we're taken out of the dark caves.
That all depends on where the party goes with the story they want to take. The later levels and story are strongly dependent on what you decide to do early on in The Prison.
There could even be a group of Cave Druids who are basically the neutral party of the prison. Rallying defenses during the Floods, helping rebuild, and trying to broker peace among settlements. Maybe a bit like the medieval Catholic church in terms of people wanting to send their kids off to become druids. Not only because it's a way for them to a better life in a hellish situation, but also because having a cave druid in the family can mean your whole situation is improved.
I really like that idea. Thanks.
Are there other prisons? Not underground ones, but regular prisons. I can't imagine every single criminal gets tossed in here.
Yes and No. There are places called Reformatories, where drunks or people late on their taxes go for a while. These are still productive members of society. Anyone deemed a threat or waste of resources is sent to The Prison.
And does the Sovereign know of the presence of this underground society?
It is heavily rumored that there is a society below, though it hasn’t been confirmed to the citizens.
Is it common knowledge that the worst criminals get sent here?
Yes, absolutely. The worst criminals are made as a show, sort of. They get sent underground without any supplies, which basically means the death penalty. At the same time it is common knowledge that other “criminals” are sent to The Prison as well.
The thought just occurred to me that we are most likely to be sent into the caves together (those that are not born there), which means that we are probably being tried together; which suggests that we are part of the same conspiracy. Is there anyone else who would be likely to be part of a conspiracy that I could join or who could join me?
You are indeed going to be sent at the same time, though not likely for the same crimes. The Sovereign usually splits up co-conspirators to make transportation to the Prison easier.
That absolutely could fit in. I can add it to my list of active organizations.
Alright, cool. I guess my follow-up would be if a druid would be allowed to bring their companion in to the prison with them.
You are indeed going to be sent at the same time, though not likely for the same crimes. The Sovereign usually splits up co-conspirators to make transportation to the Prison easier.
Seems fair enough. There does exist the possibility of role play with co-conspirators who either preceded or anteceded my character (or any other character) - that would be up to you , though.
This paladin might work.
Redeemer archetype.
Voluntarily entered the "prison" seeking those who can be redeemed.
I am interested in this game, and would like to put forward a character concept.
The idea I have is a sorcerer whose powers stem not from a bloodline, but from a magical fungus that has infected him (and which he is unaware of at the start of his career). The fungus would slowly infest him further and further, going from making him sickly to showing visible symptoms of infection (such as growths on the skin). The fungus would slowly alter his brain (like the fungus cordyceps), in an as yet undetermined fashion. I like the roleplay opportunities which would arise when he discovers his infection, and going from wanting it removed to slowly accepting and even defending it as it infests his mental facilities.
I haven't decided on personality or how he fits into the campaign yet, just putting the concept here for now.
Your thread reads interest check: Are you still just looking for interest, or do you want fully fledged backgrounds and/or crunch?
I'll dot for interest with my Teifling Rogue!
Your thread reads interest check: Are you still just looking for interest, or do you want fully fledged backgrounds and/or crunch?
Still Just an interest check, though it has moved passed that into the Stealing Ideas phase. I have taken a few things people have mentioned and am currently working those into workable things for the world. I have also gotten a few fantastic inspirations from some people. There is enough people interested for me to begin the real work of putting ideas onto paper. Plus I am hoping to get a few more bites once everything is laid out in a real post.
I'm going to be writing everything up over the next few days to put together the beginning introduction as well as information you will need to build characters.
I am thinking a circle of druids, chemists, and conjurers who provide food for the underground would be cool...a group that earns their keep by traveling the various settlements and helping to feed the people by tending to various farms of mushrooms, lichen, algae, and etc. Some appreciate their help, but others resent the respect they draw, or simply don't like outsiders in their communities. Their primary conflicts would be unappreciative members of the communities, beasts and bandits between settlements, and dealing with the consequences of using magic in the Caverns.
My character would be one such druid, probably pulled into a greater conflict amongst the settlements. Maybe a Cave Druid and/or Earth domain, or something similarly themed. I would prefer to do something customized to the campaign if possible, like a Fungal Shaman. Or perhaps an Alchemist? With Transmutation focus.
For background...a street urchin thrown underground for stealing food, someone for whom the draw of free food and helping to feed others would be rewarding and redeeming. He helped out at his local settlement with their farm, then gradually made his way into the circle and began to learn one of the aptitudes the circles employs.
I have an idea that could work nicely with this concept. I am thinking a human breaker barbarian. First level he can smash (sunder) stuff. Second level he gets better at it and can throw big objects. Third level he can take whatever is at hand and use it to smash whatever else is at hand. He would be very self reliant.
Fluff wise he would be a rebellious teenager just looking for a drink and a fight and just happened to be in the same bar that Gavmania was in when he got arrested and resisted, putting up a fight. They figured he was one of the rebels and threw him in with Gavmania. Due to his volitile nature I imagine he wouldn't get much of anything to start with and might even be in manacles at the begining until he can break the bonds :)
I am interested but I have to ask which ability score system are you going with? Point-buy? Rolls?
Grippli
Druid
nuff said....
I tend to migrate towards games with more of a roleplaying flavour than roll-playing fixation, what will be the focus?
What would be the posting expectations?
<crosses fingers and hopes to hear "once per day, minimum">
I tend to migrate towards games with more of a roleplaying flavour than roll-playing fixation, what will be the focus?
What would be the posting expectations?
<crosses fingers and hopes to hear "once per day, minimum">
More of a focus on the roleplaying, though I will be asking for the appropriate skills checks often enough. (So you can't dumb mental stats and get away with it.)
For posting it will be once a day, with the exception of quality of quantity. So you could get away with long posts every other day, except during combat, because a long post during combat is cool and all but it slows things down. I'll go into more detail in the recruitment post.
It may not be what you were thinking of, but with the release of Ultimate Campaign I've been thinking about it a lot, this could be a really good basis for doing a settlement building campaign. Setting down roots somewhere and declaring independence from the corrupt empire, or somesuch.
That depends on the players. It could very well move in that direction.
I would doff my proverbial cap to take a slot as a Rakshasa-Spawn tiefling Fey-bloodline sorcerer (physical traits are minimal, permitting him to travel among humans, as long he does not remain long) who is a complete dandy with fiendish luck.
Well, as much a dandy as one could be in prison, which might not be a great place to be man-pretty.
I would doff my proverbial cap to take a slot as a Rakshasa-Spawn tiefling Fey-bloodline sorcerer (physical traits are minimal, permitting him to travel among humans, as long he does not remain long) who is a complete dandy with fiendish luck.
Well, as much a dandy as one could be in prison, which might not be a great place to be man-pretty.
Well Tieflings, while not common, are much more accepted in this society.
Aasimars and Tieflings
Tieflings are mostly found in the noble houses whereas Aasimars are usually found in middle class families, though a few can be found in prominent positions in the hierarchy. Seeing Tieflings populating so many noble houses has spurned unspoken rumors among the other races that the reason Humans have come into power so quickly is due to pacts with powerful fiends long ago.
Tieflings are more common than Aasimars on the surface, though nearly equal in number in The Prison, due to Aasimars having an obscenely high conviction rate compared to any other race.
I would doff my proverbial cap to take a slot as a Rakshasa-Spawn tiefling Fey-bloodline sorcerer (physical traits are minimal, permitting him to travel among humans, as long he does not remain long) who is a complete dandy with fiendish luck.
Well, as much a dandy as one could be in prison, which might not be a great place to be man-pretty.
I would assume, or I suppose infer, from the description that non-humans are commonplace here.
Okay, he's some more details I've come up with for my character.
The reason my character could have been detained is he became unreasonably sick, and magical diagnoses revealed that the disease was magical and from an unknown source. The Sovereign, being informed of this most dangerous threat to public health, decided it would be better to exile my character to the Prison and let him fend for himself than to try to cure him and risk an outbreak of an unknown magical disease.
As for the character himself, his name is Iozif Alamancar, a thin man of Varisian descent (or whatever ethnicity is closest). He was a poor child, who landed what seemed like a miracle apprenticeship as an herbalist and healer in his small village on the outskirts of the big city. Iozif is a kind-hearted young man who would share his food with others despite being very poor, and who chafes at oppression in any form. However, he's rather subordinate in attitude, and although he'd like to do something to help the oppressed often times he's too scared to do anything himself.
|
Alright streaching out my character concept a bit.
Phrrr, son of Phrrush. Catfolk Ranger (deep ranger archtype)
Phrrush was a soldier in the empires armies, a war hero in fact who had been rising through the ranks until he rose high enough to find out something he shouldn't or just start losing faith in the empire. The Empire would have then decided such a prominent man was too dangerous to have speaking against them and had him killed, his son blamed for it and sent down into the prison where he wouldn't cause trouble like his father.
Phrrr would be something of an angry young lad, hardly surprising really, with a deep seething hatred of the empire and similarly deep desire for revenge, and escape from his wrongfull imprisonment.
If I may also comment on the above character ideas, Shane I like yours especially if he finds a cure like day 1 in the caves that they have no way of sending to the surface. and Unruly I'm fairly certain the last two points there are true.
Okay, he's some more details I've come up with for my character.
I like this character concept, we'll have to see how everything works out once I finalize character creation boundaries.
I've started working on my character concept and background as well. Going for a deep-kin half-orc cave druid who was born into the prison. For my background I'm making a handful of assumptions -
- Something similar to the idea of a group of helpful/diplomatic druids has made its way into the campaign.
- There are at least a few small settlements of native underground creatures in the caves, such as orcs, deurgar, kobolds, etc.
- That the portal into the prison leads to a set place within the prison rather than spreading people randomly throughout the caves.
- That with the rise of settlements there are sections of the caves that are considerably safer and more tame than others due to constant activity in them. Likewise, some settlements are probably best avoided because of their relative danger.If none of these assumptions are correct, then I'll revise my background as needed. But the character concept as a whole probably won't change much. I'm going to reserve posting more of the background until the actual recruitment thread comes up though. No sense in posting it twice when things are likely to change.
Several people have expressed interest in being born already in The Prison. While that will work, the space will be more limited for those type of characters. A party full of Prisonborn would kind of defeat the themeatics I was going for.
As for your assumptions.
- The underground druid sects have made their way into the setting.
- There are no civilized native species to the underground... basically no intelligent creatures have been there for at least the past several thousand years.
- The portal drops people off at approximately the place give or take a few thousand feet.
- Correct on the last point.
|
I do have a question regarding available classes. Are you open to 3rd party classes?
If so, I have interest in playing a Dread, which, though I may be wrong, I feel could fit in quite nicely in the prison. Someone who pushes his weight around and using the fears of those around him. Definitely not a good guy.
I still have been wanting to play an underground grippli.
I think he fits. Check him out in his profile.
I like this character concept, we'll have to see how everything works out once I finalize character creation boundaries.
Sounds good to me, I'm sure I can adapt the character to the guidelines. I was thinking of the Verdant bloodline for the character, with spells focusing on plant-based control as well as mind-affecting spells with flavor leaning towards spores, vines, and fungi.
I do have a question regarding available classes. Are you open to 3rd party classes?
If so, I have interest in playing a Dread, which, though I may be wrong, I feel could fit in quite nicely in the prison. Someone who pushes his weight around and using the fears of those around him. Definitely not a good guy.
I've been going back and forth on whether to allow psionics or not. A few of the classes might be overpowered in this setting. I am not opposed to it, however if I find it to be too strong I'll ask you to change something.
I still have been wanting to play an underground grippli.
I think he fits. Check him out in his profile.
I haven't put out any character creation rules yet, You'll probably have to modify him to fit the world a bit. But he is not outside the realm of possibility.
|
|
I've been going back and forth on whether to allow psionics or not. A few of the classes might be overpowered in this setting. I am not opposed to it, however if I find it to be too strong I'll ask you to change something.
Very well. I certainly wouldn't want to upset the balance of your campaign, and as such, will acquiesce to any demands of yours, provided I'm picked when the actual recruitment begins.
I've been going back and forth on whether to allow psionics or not. A few of the classes might be overpowered in this setting. I am not opposed to it, however if I find it to be too strong I'll ask you to change something.
Might I recommend the rule of psionics being like magic, if they are allowed. It makes things easier for detection, protection and the like, and it'd also mean psions are affected by the magical turbulence you described previously. I think it adds too much complication to have both systems independent of each other.
|
|
I've been going back and forth on whether to allow psionics or not. A few of the classes might be overpowered in this setting. I am not opposed to it, however if I find it to be too strong I'll ask you to change something.Might I recommend the rule of psionics being like magic, if they are allowed. It makes things easier for detection, protection and the like, and it'd also mean psions are affected by the magical turbulence you described previously. I think it adds too much complication to have both systems independent of each other.
Well, that's the way Psionics are meant to be by default.